On April 28, News Corp Australia released the findings from the inaugural News Travel Network Consumer Trends Forecast at a digital event hosted by the company.
The forecast provided insight into the 8.5 million Australians who connect with the company’s network of travel brands every month.
News Corp used the behavioural data from the News Travel Network audience, combined with Australian and international trend reports. The biannual Trends Forecast is overlaid with the insights of the company’s senior travel editors to predict the key consumer travel trends that will shape the next six months.
The News Travel Network is Australia’s largest travel media network. Made up of brands such as Escape, news.com.au Travel, and The Australian’s new Travel+Luxury.
At the inaugural virtual marketing event, News Corp Australia travel industry experts including Kerrie McCallum, editorial director – premium food & travel; Stephanie Raethel, group features editor, news.com.au; Kirsten Galliott, head of content – Travel+Luxury, Medium Rare Content Agency; Penny Hunter, Travel+Luxury weekend editor, The Australian; and Jana Frawley, content director, Escape; presented the consumers trends.
News Corp Australia’s managing director, food and travel Fiona Nilsson opened the event and provided a presentation on the forecasts initial findings. She said: “The past year has dramatically changed the way we travel and how we think about travel. With a disruption as big as this, we also see big shifts in consumer interests and behaviours.
“The purpose of our new Trends Forecast is to call out those shifting trends with a focus on the ones that are going to make a difference in the near future and help inform the travel industry on its path to recovery.
“It’s worth noting that these are the trends and insights that our teams have built their coming editorial plans around.”
The swing against enforced presentism
This was followed by News Corp Australia’s editorial director of premium food and travel, and editor-in-chief of Escape Kerrie McCallum who discussed the first of the five key consumers trends in the forecast; the swing against enforced presentism.
News Corp’s research found that: “This trend is based on consumers really wanting to avoid that feeling or sense of being ‘trapped in the present’, with no horizons. It’s leading to a strong desire to seek to reclaim their future, after feeling it was snatched away from them in 2020.
“To avoid feeling trapped in the present with ‘no horizons’, consumers are seeking to reclaim their future after being deprived of the ability to fully plan, manage and influence experiences in 2020. As borders reopen and the vaccine rollout continues, Australians are looking ahead to escape the endless vortex of going nowhere. This means that Australians will reclaim their future by throwing themselves into future planning – especially travel. They will be looking for hassle free booking experiences and hyper personalised itineraries.”
Live like a local
Up next was the group features editor for news.com.au, Stephanie Reathel, who covered the consumer trend of live like a local, with the forecast stating:
“Out of the changes that 2020 brought us, that dream of staying longer in places once considered brief holiday destinations has become a real possibility as many of us transition to partial or fully working from home.
“The pandemic has made living and working in places we’ve only ever visited a reality, with remote working becoming part of everyday life. 2021 and beyond will see shifts from short term to medium and long term stays for corporate nomads as they move to destinations that offer a better and more enjoyable lifestyle. The rise of ‘micropreneuers’ is further fuelling this trend, leading to new business models for accommodation.”
Once-in-a-lifetime travel
Kirsten Galliott the head of content travel and luxury at Medium Rare Content Agency then presented the trend of once-in-a-lifetime travel.
The News Travel Network Consumer Trends Forecast said: “Before Covid, we had unlimited choice. It wasn’t where could I go? It was where should I go next? We’ve surprised ourselves with how amazing Australia is but there is no doubt there’s been a sense of confinement and let’s face it, Australians love to travel overseas and we’re yearning for the Big Trip.
“Consumers are appreciative of now being able to travel more freely and they are chasing dream destinations over adventure. The pent-up travel demand will see Australians plan epic, “trip of a lifetime” holidays. People want to tick off those bucket-list destinations that have been out of reach. They are also feeling nostalgic about past trips and looking at revisiting destinations that they have been to before, and doing them properly. Multigenerational travel will also ramp up as “togetherness travel” gathers pace. This will all result in Australians saving more, hoarding leave to maximise time away and spending more time planning.”
Loyalty redefined
Penny Hunter, editor for travel+indulgence at The Australian, was up next and had the trend of loyalty being refined, with the research showing that tourism operators can establish new loyal customers:
“Tourism operators have a great opportunity here to develop a whole new cohort of loyal customers. With options limited in terms of destinations, consumers are eager to try something new. The consumer who is tempted to do a trip they might not otherwise have considered, could become the next loyal traveller, the customer who goes with the company they know, tried and tested, time and again.
“The pandemic has levelled the playing field for brands. Limited opportunities to travel and the desire for fresh, immersive experiences mean Australians are considering brands or operators they haven’t used before. However, brand loyalty is more fragile, with factors such as customer service, safety, reliability, and good communication – rather than price – driving consumer decision-making. The prestige market is strong, with travellers who would normally spend their money overseas branching out into domestic experiences with premier operators. This satisfies their wanderlust while also ensuring the high level of service they expect. Brands will need to have a COVID safety commitment and offer travellers security.”
Wonder down under
Finally, Jana Frawley, content director for Escape, covered the final consumer trend of wonder down under with the forecast showing that Aussie’s appetite for local adventure is going up.
“As restrictions lifted and we could travel in our metaphoric backyard – all 7.6 million square kilometres of it – our appetite for information about Australia surged. We saw a curiosity for niche and quirky stories and details and a desire to get to know our country in a more meaningful, entertaining or purposeful way than ever before.
“Border restrictions are unlocking our inquisitive minds and adventurous spirits right here at home. Australians will be looking for natural social distancing – spectacular, wide open spaces, pandemic restlessness and a set of car keys will see people hitting the road and ready to camp, caravan or hotel-hop their way around the country. Australians are looking for the quirky and the curious, with more people travelling at home they are seeking out niche and detailed history, facts, pop culture and trivia. Micro moments and local secrets are important with Australians wanting deeper, richer and more immersive experiences.”
In a statement, News Corp Australia’s head of travel, Dwayne Birtles said the company was focused on its approach to travel across the business.
“The News Travel Network is very clear on the types of readers that we’re focusing our efforts on commercially, editorially and from a product and technology standpoint.
“Our research has identified five core travel consumer segments ranging from the Savvy segment, younger customers who are looking for value in their travel experiences and have a high propensity to book online, all the way up to the highest value travel customer via our Prestige segment, who look for the very best in quality and experience from their travel.
“Marketers are also able to target very specific audience segments through our digital marketing platform News Connect, which has one of the strongest and richest commercial datasets in the market, to reach millions of travel intenders across 152 travel segments, providing the scale and sophistication they need to drive effective outcomes.”
Following the key consumer trends David Smiedt, then the lists editor for Escape, held a Q and A about the findings in the forecast with Fiona Nilsson, Kerrie McCallum, Stephanie Reathel, Kirsten Galliott, Penny Hunter, Jana Frawley, and Dwayne Birtles. Some of the comments included:
• Flexibility will be key (Stephanie Reathel)
• Consumers will pay for a personalised experience (Penny Hunter)
• Food content is popular because everyone is eating out again (Penny Hunter)
• Digital Travel experiences like virtual tours will be used more for research purposes (Kirsten Galliott)
• Consumers have shifted away from being worried about Covid (Kerrie McCallum)
• Appetite for New Zealand is enormous, and strong push for Singapore, Fiji and South Pacific to be next (Penny Hunter)